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info@natureloverstrek.com
Mardi Himal trekking is the best alternative to Poon Hill trekking. Mardi Himal is an unspoiled, off-beaten trail that hasn’t been long since it opened for trekking enthusiasts. Mardi Himal is located just east of the most famous Annapurna trekking trail.
The Mardi Himal trek starts from the enchanting city of Pokhara. It offers distinct local cultures and traditions with spectacular views of the remote landscapes and the snowcapped mountains. The tempting river and waterfalls, terraced fields and rolling hills lie on the way to welcome all to the land of paradise. Mardi Himal base camp 4500m and Sidhing village are the major attractions of this trek.
NATURE LOVERS TREKS & TOURS, dedicated to the field of Nepal tourism, is glad to organize this trip for interested visitors from Feb-June and Sep- Dec. We’d like to ensure you that this will be an amazing moment for all nature lovers to explore the unexplored and see what this new route has to offer.
You might also want to check other trending trek packages in the vicinity: Khopra Danda Trekking, Mohare Danda Trekking, Poon Hill Trekking, Poon Hill Tatopani Trek, Mohare Danda and Khopra Ridge Community Trek.
Please check our photos/videos at Flickr.
Day 01:Drive to Pokhara, BL, Hotel
Day 02:Drive to Kande and trek to Pothana 1950m 6hrs, BLD, Teahouse
Day 03:Trek to Low camp 3150m 7hrs, BLD, Teahouse
Day 04:Trek to High camp 3700m 4hrs, BLD, Teahouse
Day 05:Trek to Mardi Himal base camp 4500m 6hrs, BLD, Teahouse
Day 06:Trek to Sidhing village 1750m 7hrs and drive to Pokhara, BL, Hotel
Day 07:Drive back to Kathmandu, BL.
Kathmandu sightseeing: $80 per person (gets cheaper with bigger PAX)
Porter service: $20/day per porter
Day 01: Drive to Pokhara, B, Hotel
6 to 8 hours of driving to Pokhara from Kathmandu. Early in the morning, we start the highway drive towards Pokhara. First, you will leave the crowded Kathmandu valley via the west side at Thankot, then enter the main highway in Dhading. Once you arrive in Pokhara, the rest of the day is leisure for sightseeing and enjoying time next to the coolest Fewa Lake. Go for the sunset hike to the World peace stupa, Pumdikot view tower or Sarangkot view tower.
Day 02: Drive to Kande and trek to Pothana 1950m 6hrs, BLD, Teahouse
After driving to Kande, we begin the incredible journey. Get yourself ready to start hike on an easy trail. You will first pass through the settlements and then into the forested area. The trail until Australian Camp is steep, but it gets pleasant afterward until we arrive at Pothana for the night stop. Lunch break in the Australian camp to view the panoramic Annapurna ranges.
Day 03: Trek to Forest Camp 2600m & to Low camp 3150m 7hrs, BLD, Teahouse
Today, we commence trekking uphill through the jungle and eventually continue to get to the ridges of the Forest camp. Crossing Pitam Deurali village, we enter the wilderness and thick forest of pine and rhododendron. After a long hike, we arrive at the forest camp. From forest camp to low camp is another exciting walk through more lush forests with occasional glimpses of Annapurna South and Fishtail peak. The view of Fishtail or Machapuchare also gets better and better.
Day 04: Trek to High camp 3700m 4hrs, BLD, Teahouse
An hour or so above Low Camp, the trail breaks out above tree lines for the good views of Annapurna South, Machhapuchhre and Hiunchuli. The trail continues along the Mardi Himal ridge and the thin rhododendron bushes. Look out for the national bird of Nepal, the colorful pheasant, Danphe, which you might see if lucky. This beautiful trekking day goes through Badal danda or "Cloud Hill" as you walk above the clouds, beneath the mighty Annapurna mountain ranges. The trail is well-defined after Badal Danda and gets steep at some points.
Day 05: Trek to Mardi Himal base camp 4500m 6hrs, BLD, Teahouse
It’s going to be a pretty long day since you will walk along the ridges to get to the Mardi Himal base camp and the similar time taken to get back to the High camp for the overnight stop. First, after a couple of hours, you will arrive at the Lower viewpoint, then at Upper Viewpoint and ultimately at Mardi Himal base camp to see the Himalayan wonders from a close distance. A pretty challenging hiking day; otherwise, the view is just stunning throughout the day. Most people would like to stop at the Mardi Himal Lower viewpoint, but we recommend you push higher and at least go near the Mardi Himal base camp because the view gets better up there.
Day 06: Trek to Sidhing village 1750m 7hrs & drive to Pokhara, BL, Hotel
Walking down to the Sidhing via the same route will be a long day of hiking down. Depending on your speed and fitness level, it might take 6-8 hours of walking. Please don't forget to look out for the rare floras and faunas you might see. Retrace your path back to Low camp via Badal Danda, then hike down to Sidhing village. From low camp, it will be vertical descent most of the time. After some rest in Sidhing, drive back to Pokhara. Enjoy the celebratory moment in Pokhara by the lakeside.
Day 07: Drive back to Kathmandu, BL.
Time to return to Kathmandu on the deluxe tourist bus after completing the glorious Mardi Himal base camp trek in the Annapurna region. The rest of the day is for your leisurely activities. Final meetup to bid goodbye to each other. Thank you and NAMASTE.
Customized Trips and Trip departure
Mardi Himal Trekking departs from Kathmandu as per our fixed departure dates. You can join any available fixed departure groups if you are a solo or small group travelers if you wish to, when the trips cannot be customized.
But if you are in a private group, fixed departure dates are not suitable for you and so you need to choose your own dates and packages, when you can customize the trek as per your travel needs. For further information, please kindly contact your own friendly neighbor, Nature Lovers Treks and Tours.
Accommodations in Pokhara and during trek
You will be staying in a hotel in Pokhara while in the teahouse lodges or guesthouses and even homestays during the trek.
Nature Lovers Treks and Tours has the best accommodation arrangement for you from the beginning to the end. We believe after the tough walking day, everyone deserves the proper rest and the right ambience to relax and chill. Therefore, our choice of accommodation is the best when it comes to the trekking days. The rooms will be clean and comfy. Our entire accommodations will be on twin-sharing basis as you can see, so you have to let us know if others; let’s say if you want triple or quadruple sharing or if you want a double bed, etc. There will be extra charge for the single supplement.
If you wish to change the accommodation category to a better ones in Pokhara, please let us know and we can change it for you on added cost.
Route Map and Company T-shirt
Nature Lovers Treks and Tours offers you a complimentary trekking map and the company t-shirts.
Safe Drinking Water during Mardi Himal Trekking
Hydrating yourself is the most important thing to do during the trek. You should drink at least 3 liters of water every day or more. The main reason is to avoid the altitude sickness and to avoid other health issues. Nature Lovers Treks and Tours provides you water purification tablets or liquids to purify the water in the mountains. You can even buy mineral water or boiled water on extra cost.
Your trekking guides and porters
Nature Lovers Treks and Tours has the best guides and porters in the whole tourism industry. We can guarantee you on that. Ask yourselves a question. What do you look for in a guide and a porter? Are they fully insured and are they paid well? Well, they are the staffs of Nature Lovers Treks and Tours so they are hundred percent happy with their treatment by the company. They are experienced, licensed and knowledgeable in the field. They are well paid and fully insured for their journey as well as for the medicals.
Now, let’s talk about our backbones. The leader or a guide should have a significant knowledge in the climbing and trekking so that he can wonderfully and safely lead you, clearing any obstacles on the way. We, Nature Lovers Treks and Tours can proudly say that our guides (climbing, assistant, trekking guide) are highly qualified for the role. They are fully trained, experienced and licensed. They have undergone through a whole lot of training to make themselves useful in various situations and to make your journey a smooth and pleasant one.
Our guide knows the local areas, the cultures, the traditions and the lifestyles much more than anyone do. Some of the things he tells you, might even be hard to find in the travel guide books. Depending upon the situations and weather conditions, the daily plans might change slightly which when happens, he will inform you beforehand. You should always be flexibly ready to accommodate to your guides’ instructions. Let him know if you have any health problems as well since he will act accordingly to the situation. Depending upon the group size, we will also provide you assistant guides and extra Sherpas if needed.
Our porters are always fully equipped with the gears they need and as per the company policy, they are always insured and completely looked after. They are our backbone. We allow maximum weight of 25/30 kg to be carried by one porter. They are the strongest in our group with less communication skills. We also closely work with IPPG {International Porter Protection Group} and follow their ethics and guidelines.
We have had many solo travelers in the past. Nepal is totally safe to travel even in the Himalayas, even though you are solo. No matter if you're a solo female or a male traveler, you can hike in the Himalayas doubtlessly, with our experienced guide.
Extra personal expenses during and after trek
The clients are responsible for their own personal expenses during or after the treks like, for buying beverages and snacks, WiFi, doing laundry, buying souvenirs & personal equipment, tips for the field staffs, etc. Therefore, we recommend you to bring some extra cash (in dollars or euro, etc.) of about $200-300, and change it into Nepali Rupees since only NPR are accepted in majority of the Nepali market.
Shower during the trek
It's an important matter to discuss about. After a day's end, you might feel like showering and get fresh. It's a good idea on the lower altitudes but if you're on the higher altitudes (more than 3500m), we recommend to shower on intervals. People seem to catch a cold easily after showering which can lead to altitude sickness. Teahouses in the lower elevation offers you hot shower, but in the upper elevation, a bucket of hot water is provided. They charge a little extra for the hot water bath ($3-5).
Laundry on the trail
There are some teahouses which offer laundry services and you can use their service during the acclimatizing days. However, most of the lodges don't have laundry service and you might have to either wash your clothes yourself or postpone until you arrive in Kathmandu or Pokhara. Please plan in advance about it.
Your safety
Nature Lovers Treks and Tours puts your safety as the top priority. We provide you our own comprehensive first aid medical kit bag along with the professional team of guides and porters. We are always in communication with our field team members to keep track of your safety and concerns. Your entire journey will be monitored by us and we make sure you enjoy your journey in full scale. We are available 24/7 for your health and safety checks during Mardi Himal Trekking.
How much does the Mardi Himal Trekking cost?
The cost of the Mardi Himal Trekking varies from $400-$1400 depending upon the number of days you choose to trek. The longer the trek, more expensive it will become. Similarly, the price will differ with the accommodation choices also. Normally, Nature Lovers Treks and Tours offers a comprehensive package which is inclusive of all the cost and expenses for the entire journey from the moment you land in Nepal till the moment you fly back home. However, you could also choose to buy only service-based package from us when we will be providing you only the supporting field staffs plus trekking permits and you have to arrange the rest by yourselves.
How is the Accommodation during the Mardi Himal Trekking?
In Mardi Himal Trekking, we will provide you the teahouse accommodations or homestays in some days, too. A teahouse is typically a mountain lodge which is a combination of a lodge or a guest house and a restaurant or a café with basic furniture and interiors suitable for the social hangout. Many teahouses even have some attached bathrooms and the central heating furnace. Most of the teahouses provide the European toilets these days while Asian style of toilets are available in every teahouses. Hot showers are available but on extra cost. The same goes with the hot drinking water since they use the gas or solar to boil the water. Sleeping blankets are usually provided but we recommend you to carry your own sleeping bags for the hygienic purpose {can be arranged on request}. At the same time, it’s better to carry your own toiletries including the towels.
A homestay is typically a local house with addition of some extra beds and minor facilities to welcome the guest. Homestay is where you can stay and experience the local lifestyles and cultures. Most of the homestays have Asian style of toilets and no attached bathrooms. Hot water and hot showers are available on added cost.
What are the permits that I need for Mardi Himal Trekking?
For Mardi Himal Trekking, you will need to make two permits: ACAP permit (Annapurna Conservation Area Project) and TIMS Card (Trekkers' Information Management System).
How does this tipping system in Nepal works and do I have to tip?
Tipping is not compulsory for Mardi Himal Trekking however tipping is all about showing your gratitude and appreciation. We care about our staffs in the fields so we expect you to look after them in return for them looking after you throughout your journey. They are your closest friend in the remotest parts and also your protector whenever anything seems to happen to you. So tipping is highly expected and we’ve made it mandatory too. The amount of gratuities can be determined by yourselves. Normally, a guide and a porter expects around $10 or more per day.
Can I charge my phones, batteries or other electronic devices in Mardi Himal Trekking?
You can charge your electronic devices during Mardi Himal Trekking {with some exception days} but by paying small amount or fees for charging. Don’t forget to buy a plug adapter or socket fittings before you leave Kathmandu.
Is there WiFi and mobile signal on the Mardi Himal Trekking?
Mardi Himal Trekking route has good mobile network coverage these days {with few exception days}, thanks to the Nepalese telecommunication companies called Ncell and NTC. You can buy one of these Sim cards from any local phone shops in Kathmandu. It is wiser to buy a sim card with around 4 GB data in Kathmandu and use the mobile data in the trek to avoid paying extra by buying WiFi on the trek.
WiFi is available on many teahousesa and homestays in Mardi Himal Trekking route. However, the signal varies from place to place and please don’t expect to receive the fast data coverage in the trek.
When is the best time to trek to Mardi Himal?
Mardi Himal Trekking can be done throughout the year. However in average, Spring {March, April and May} and Autumn {September, October and November} are the best times or seasons to trek to Mardi Himal. Spring and Autumn are known as the Peak season or Busy season in Nepal. It’s because the temperature is moderate during these seasons and the best panoramic mountain views are guaranteed while during other Summer {June, July and August} and Winter {December, January and February} season, the clear weather is not guaranteed. But if you are an explorer, a photographer and a peace lover, less busy season can also be the right time to do Mardi Himal Trekking. The problem is the weather is harsh cold in winter and there’s snow everywhere while the summer has rainfalls and clouds obscuring the mountains and the views are not so great most of the time.
Do I have to worry about the altitude sickness in Mardi Himal Trekking?
The itinerary of our Mardi Himal Trekking is perfectly designed by Nature Lovers Treks and Tours and has separated enough time in the places to let the body acclimatize well in high altitudes. As long as you follow the guide, you should be fine. Altitude sickness in fact can affect anyone regardless of the age or the fitness level, so it is very important to walk slowly and gradually as you go higher. Learn more in details about Altitude Sickness to prepare yourselves for the upcoming Mardi Himal Trekking.
Do I need to be healthy and physically fit for Mardi Himal Trekking?
When it comes to trekking in the mountains, health and fitness of a person plays a vital role. If you are a healthy person without any serious medical problems, Mardi Himal Trekking is for you but if you have any sorts of medical issues, please consult to your doctor before coming to Nepal for the trek. We will be gaining the high altitude of 4500 m or more above the sea level which is not a joke. People normally start to have breathing problems above 3000 meters from the sea level, if they have pre-existing health conditions.
Now when it comes to the fitness level required, Mardi Himal Trekking demands moderate physical fitness. The trekking includes daily walks of about 4-8 hours and involves many ascents and descents which means you need at least some practices before you start the trekking journey. You will be traversing through the forests and high hills. If you do not have the previous trekking experience, that’s fine but obviously if you have previous experiences, it will be lot easier. For those not having previous trekking experiences, please exercise regularly for at least a month prior to your trekking departure. Go for the morning walks, do some jogging as you get time, participate in some cycling activities, etc. This way, you will be good to go for trekking to Mardi Himal.
What kind of food items or meals can I eat on Mardi Himal Trekking?
Only breakfast is included in Pokhara while full board meals or full meals are included during the trek. Tea and coffee will also be provided during the entire trip. During the trek, you will have your breakfast and dinner in the same teahouse / homestay where you spend the night while the lunch will be served en route towards the next destination of the day. There are a varieties of choices to choose from; Nepalese, Tibetan, Indian, Continental, etc.
The most common and the highly recommended food during the Mardi Himal Trekking is typical Nepali Dal Bhat {rice and lentil}; even better without meat, means Nepali Vegetarian Dal Bhat. You can also eat other food items such as seasonal vegetables, noodles and spaghetti, pastas, pizzas and French fries, soups, etc. depending upon the availability. For the beverage, you can either choose warm, hot or cold beverages; soft drinks, beer and hard drinks. For the breakfast, you can order cereals, breads, noodle soups, egg dishes, etc.
Do I need a travel insurance for Mardi Himal Trekking?
Travel insurance is a must when you trek to Mardi Himal. Therefore before you come to Nepal, please make sure you have your insurance documents with you since our insurance companies cannot insure foreign nationals. Because of the reason that they cover all the expenses, if you face some unfortunate happenings and you have to be rescued or medically assisted during the trip or if your belongings are lost or stolen. We strongly advise you to take out an insurance which covers any medical risks up to 4000 meter as well as the medical evacuation from the mountains.
In general, most of the places in Nepal don't accept the card payments as they are remote and of limited use to them. So, we recommend you to withdraw some cash before departing for the journey. ATMs will charge you minimal service fee for withdrawing money and you will also get good exchange rate from the banks.
How much weight of luggage can I take during the trek?
Our porter is allowed to carry maximum of 25 kg so, since 2 clients will share one porter, both of your combined weights shouldn't be more than 20kg. We care about our porters and he also has his personal belongings to carry as well.
For the important things and your personal items, you might have to carry your own backpack. But please, only carry the essentials and you will have to leave the rest of the unimportant items, either in the hotel's locker room or in our office store for free.
Is there any age limit for Mardi himal trek?
Not, at all. No matter if you're 5 years old or 85, you can trek as long as you can. In fact, the children seem to adapt to the high altitudes faster than an adult. So, as long as you're willing to hike the Himalayas, you can hike no matter what your age is.
How do you take the remaining balance on arrival in Kathmandu? Do I need to pay you by cash or I can use my card?
On arrival in Kathmandu, you can pay the remaining balance either on cash or by card. We prefer to be paid in cash (doesn't matter which currency) rather than by card but however, you can also swipe your card which will incur you extra 3.5% charge from the bank.
How big should my backpack be?
It all depends on what you wish to carry on your day pack. We recommend a backpack between 20-40 liter or roughly the size of a school bag.
If I have to use a restroom during the hike or trek, where can I use the restroom?
You can easily access the restrooms of any teahouses on the trail. If in case it's urgent and you cannot find any teahouses around, you can always go off the trail to ease yourself.
Can I leave my luggage in Kathmandu?
Definitely, you can leave your excess stuffs in Kathmandu. Either you can leave them on the hotel's locker room or in our office store for free.
What about extra days and nights in Kathmandu?
For any extra days and nights in Kathmandu which is outside of your schedule, you can let us know beforehand and we can book the hotels for you and also other add-ons or activities as you may like. If under unforeseen circumstances you get extra days in Kathmandu after the trek, we shall work out the right solution for you.
What if I get sick or injured during the trek?
Like we said earlier, we, Nature Lovers Treks and Tours puts your safety as the top priority. Our professional team is always with you and monitoring you to ensure your wellness and safety. Our experienced and well-trained guide will use his emergency skills in case of emergency; either if you get injured or if you get sick. If it's regarding a symptom of altitude sickness or AMS, you will have to go down to the lower altitudes as fast as possible in order to gain your energy back. You can always continue in the later days or retreat as per your choice. In case of necessity, he will arrange the rescue helicopter for you as well to get the quick medical attention in Kathmandu.
What gears and equipment do I need to pack for Mardi Himal Trekking?
Choosing the right gear and equipment is important as well for the successful trek to Mardi Himal. Pack the right gears and equipment but remember, packing as light as possible is the best way to go when trekking to Mardi Himal. You should read this What to take for travel to get all the details on what you need to pack or carry.
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